Bonnair History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Early Origins of the Bonnair family

Early History of the Bonnair family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bonnair research. Another 231 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1281, 1281, 1700, 1451, 1273, 1500, 1569, 1548 and 1548 are included under the topic Early Bonnair History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bonnair Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Bonner, Boner, Bonners, Bonar, Bonnar, Bonare and many more.

Early Notables of the Bonnair family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Edmund Bonner (c.1500-1569), Bishop of London, who became known as Bloody Bonner for his role in the persecution of heretics under the Catholic government of Mary I of England. He was later...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bonnair Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bonnair family to Ireland

Some of the Bonnair family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bonnair family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Bonnair or a variant listed above: John and Michael Bonar landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1847 and 1879 respectively; Hugh Bonar settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1767.